asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of long British films registered under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938, for the years ended 30th September, 1939 and 1940?

The number of films registered as British long films under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938, in the period 1st October, 1938, to 30th September, 1939, was 104, and in the period 1st October, 1939, to 30th September, 1940, 96.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulties which many cinematograph exhibitors experienced in securing sufficient long British films to comply with the quota requirements for the year ended 30th September, 1940; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

I have received representations from the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association of Great Britain and Ireland to the effect stated in the Question. I have asked the Cinematograph Films Council for their advice; when I have received it I will decide what action, if any, is necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions were instituted against cinematograph exhibitors for failure to comply with the British quota requirements of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938, for the years ended 30th September, 1939 and 1940; and with what results?

Seven summonses were issued to cinematograph exhibitors for failure to comply with the quota requirements of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938, during the year ended 30th September, 1939. Five of these summonses were dismissed; on the other two, a fine of £ 100 with 40 guineas costs was imposed. No proceedings have yet been instituted for failure to comply with the quota requirements of the Act during the year ended 30th September, 1940.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the fact that it is now practically impossible to obtain razor blades in many parts of Scotland; and whether he will give an assurance that steps will be taken to relieve that situation?

I am having inquiries made, and it would assist if my hon. and gallant Friend would let me know the localities from which he had received complaints.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet come to a decision on the questions as to whether the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes are to be the only firm able to obtain sports kit and musical instruments ad libitum for sale to the troops; and whether he is aware that these orders have virtually given the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes a monopoly, to the detriment of thousands of small traders?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave on nth February to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport (Sir R. Clarry). I will write to him as soon as the matter has been settled.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that shopkeepers, whilst holding ample supplies of buckets and other fire-fighting appliances, decline to sell them because they have already exceeded their sales quota; and will he take steps to remove this anomaly?

I have been asked to reply. There is no restriction under the Limitation of Supplies Orders upon the sale of goods by shopkeepers. These Orders, however, do impose a restriction upon sales by manufacturers and wholesalers to shopkeepers, and on this I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to the hon. Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks) on 28th January. I am sending him a copy of this reply and of a related announcement by the Ministry of Home Securtiy.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers holding commissions in the Home Guard will be prevented thereby from contributing articles to the Press on matters not connected with the Home Guard?

I am considering to what extent the rule in King's Regulations on this subject should be applied to the Home Guard, and a decision will be made known as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of the students at the regimental commanders' course are Territorial officers?

There are two main series of regimental commanders' courses. At one 50 per cent, and at the other 67.57 per cent, of the officers attending have been Territorial Army officers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a private practitioner giving free attendance to a Home Guard casualty, or casualties, incurred in action with the enemy, will be entitled to call upon such Army medical services as are operating in the area to provide any necessary assistance?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Swiss Cottage Café Fenstanton, Hunts, in respect of which the War Department had to pay the sum of £ 243 2s. 3d., in excess of fair wear and tear, for damage to, and loss of, furniture and effects, and damage to landlord's premises and fixtures occasioned by the occupation of the premises by officers during the period 8th October, 1939, to 19th November, 1940; what disciplinary action has been, or will be, taken in respect of this occurrence; whether he will state the total sum expended in like cases throughout the country since the outbreak of war; and what steps have been, or will be, taken to recover these moneys from the officers responsible for the damage?

I am aware of the case to which my hon. Friend refers, and the disciplinary aspect of it is being considered. I regret that no record of payments for abnormal damage is available.

asked the Home Secretary what are the powers and duties of Regional Commissioners with regard to air-raid precautions?

By delegation of powers under the Defence Regulations and by administrative arrangements, Regional Commissioners are responsible for the supervision, approval and in certain cases direction of the air-raid precautionary measures taken by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health the constitution and functions of local medical war committees; when, how and by whom they were formed; and what were the precise directions given, and to whom, as regards their formation and personnel?

A local medical war committee normally consists of two members elected by the executive committee of the local division of the British Medical Association, two elected by the local Medical and Panel Committee, one nominated by the medical officer of health of the area, two elected by the whole profession of the area at a meeting called for the purpose, two representatives of the medical staffs of hospitals (municipal and voluntary) in the area and, in medical school centres, two further representatives of the teaching hospitals concerned. The committee may co-opt two other practitioners if this is considered necessary to secure that the membership is thoroughly representative of the profession in the area. The constitution of the committee is approved at a meeting of the whole profession of the area, which may introduce such modifications of the normal membership as are considered necessary, in the local circumstances, to maintain its representative character. The functions of the committees are to advise the Central Medical War Committee on the selection of doctors for service with the Forces and for the civilian emergency services, and generally to consider questions as to the allocation of medical personnel under war-time conditions. They were formed in March last by election and nomination in the manner provided in their constitution, and this process is to be repeated annually. As regards the last part of the Question, recommendations concerning the constitution of the committees, as I have just described it, were sent in February, 1940, to honorary secretaries of divisions of the British Medical Association by the secretary of the association, who is secretary of the Central Medical War Committee.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will reconsider his decision in rejecting the suggestion of the Hull local authority on street lighting during blackout; and whether he will authorise a representative of his Department to go to Hull and investigate the experiment?

I understand that my lion. Friend is referring to a recent proposal by the Hull Corporation to instal illuminated indicators at bus stops, I have given further consideration to this matter, but I do not think that it would be desirable, under present conditions, to make any addition to the existing lights in the streets of Hull. In these circumstances, I do not consider that investigation by a representative of my Department would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Health what provision was available in the town of Sevenoaks on 31st January for dealing with gas casualties at aid-posts or elsewhere; and for how many casualties provision was available?

I shall be glad to give my hon. Friend this information privately. Provision exists in Sevenoaks for dealing with a considerable number of gas casualties.

asked the Secretary of state for War whether he is aware that a number of refugees, now in Australia, had to surrender their funds to the commandant of Kempton internment camp when they were first interned in May last; that they have applied for transfer of their funds to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in May; and will he see that their money, if their claims are substantially correct, is sent to Australia without further delay, so as to relieve the most urgent needs?

Of the sterling belonging to the internees sent to Kempton Park in May, 1940, over 97 per cent. has been remitted to Australia. The remainder has not yet been remitted, because there is doubt about the accuracy of the claims or because the claimants may be sent back to this country. A request was made in December last by some of these internees that the sterling proceeds of the conversion of certain holdings should be transferred to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The funds in question will be handed over to the agents when the necessary formalities have been completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the urgent necessity of preventing both inflation and malnutrition, he is co-operating with the Minister of Food in devising a scheme whereby a minimum supply of essential foodstuffs shall be guaranteed to each household in the country?

The Ministry of Food is giving consideration to a general scheme for improving the distribution of unrationed commodities. In the course of these considerations the Treasury among other Departments concerned has been consulted and is giving the fullest possible co-operation in trying to solve the problem.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (1) whether, in order to secure a greater supply of meat and cheese for the working-class population, he will arrange in hotels and restaurants that no meat or cheese is used in meals on certain days of the week;(2) whether he has taken, or will take, steps to discover the total daily consumption of rationed foodstuffs consumed on the average by persons dining in expensive restaurants and hotels, and in cheap cafes and refreshment rooms, respectively; and whether he will consider a system of rationing for hotels and restaurants that will ensure no person securing more than an equitable share of rationed foodstuffs?

Catering establishments of all types are entitled to receive rationed food on exactly the same basis, except that works canteens and community kitchens are assured of a minimum supply of meat, whilst other types have no such assurance. There are approximately 180,000 catering establishments and I fear that it would not be practicable to ascertain the average consumption of rationed foods in varying types of establishment. My Noble Friend is, however, in close consultation with representatives of the catering industry with a view to regulating the consumption of food, especially of foods which are in short supply.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that in the United States of America, and in Canada, the process of adding additional water to wheat being prepared for milling, is not permitted, as such a procedure conflicts with the pure food laws of those countries; and whether there is any similar prohibition operating in this country?

My Noble Friend is not aware of legislation of the type referred to in the Question. The problems of the miller in the United States and Canada, where wheat is of similar moisture content, are very different from those of the miller in this country who uses grists containing a blend of various kinds of imported and home produced wheats, the moisture content of which may vary from 11 per cent. to 20 per cent. To produce a satisfactory flour the moisture contents of the various wheats forming a blend must be the same at the time they are milled. The miller, therefore, must extract moisture from English and other damp wheats, and may increase the moisture content of the drier types of imported wheat. The moisture content of flours produced from a blend of English and foreign wheats seldom varies more than between 15 and 15J per cent. The moisture content of all-English flour may be as high as 16 or 16J per cent, but is, in any case, less than that of the wheat from which it is milled.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether importers of fruit or other food supplies have to keep a record of the firms to whom they sell controlled goods?

The Ministry of Food itself imports a wide range of foodstuffs and, where this is the case, a record is available of the firms to whom these supplies are initially distributed. With regard to fresh fruit in particular, in those cases where the Ministry is the importer, the agents who distribute the fruit are required to keep an account of the firms to whom it is sold.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied that there is no leakage of our sterling resources through Eire to destinations outside the sterling area?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that suppliers, on whom fall the responsibility of charging the Purchase Tax at the initial or wholesale stage, suddenly find that altered decisions are made by the customs authorities without notification to the trade concerned; and will he institute some system whereby suppliers will not be called upon for Purchase Tax on goods which have been sold by them before they become aware of these altered decisions?

Decisions regarding liability to Purchase Tax are notified to trade associations, the trade Press and other interested bodies at the earliest possible opportunity, and I think my hon. and gallant Friend will find that some latitude is allowed in applying these decisions, in cases where the firm concerned has had no reasonable opportunity of ascertaining the position.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Government to deal by special legislation with the position of the mortgagor and the mortgagee in rela- tion to war damage; and, if so, when he proposes to introduce such a measure?

I have been asked to reply The Government are proposing to introduce further legislation to that contained in the Landlord and Tenant (War Damage) Act, 1939, dealing with the rights of those who have interests in property damaged by war damage. I cannot forecast the proposals which will be embodied in that legislation. The matter referred to in the Question is one of those being considered. I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce such legislation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is considering the advisability of maintaining the present regional divisions of the country as a basis for the post-war reconstruction of local government?

The specific point to which my hon. Friend refers will not be overlooked by the Government in their review of post-war problems.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether it is his intention to take into consultation all sections of opinion in this House in connection with any schemes of post-war reconstruction which may be in the course of consideration; and what steps he proposes to take to that end?

The Prime Minister has stated that in dealing with problems of reconstruction it is the desire of the Government to frame schemes which will command the support of the nation as a whole. These schemes will be submitted in due course to the judgment of Parliament. The group of Ministers of which I am Chairman represents different points of view. It is my intention to take into full account all expressions of responsible opinion.

asked the Minister of Health what action the Ministry of Health have taken in connection with the request from the South Midland Joint Vagrancy Committee, with a view to the removal of casuals from the roads as far as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement with regard to the vagrancy problem in Warwickshire, in the light of representations made by the South Midland Joint Vagrancy Committee.

The policy adopted by my Department has been the closure of unnecessary casual wards, and the retention only of those which are required in order to provide for reasonable movements from place to place. The proposal of the South Midland Joint Vagrancy Committee for the general closing of casual wards is not in accordance with the views of most other committees or of the associations of local authorities, and apart from this consideration, I should not feel justified during war-time in introducing legislation for modifying the general arrangements made for the relief of casual poor. Arrangements have been made with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service for work of national importance to be offered to casuals in the remaining casual wards and a number of men have accepted such work.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the length of speeches in proportion to the curtailment of the normal hours of sittings of the House, he will consider either extending the time of the daily sitting or adding to the number of the sittings of the House each week and thus provide greater facilities for more Members of the House to speak than exist at present or alternatively, enlist the co-operation of honourable Members by inviting them to accept a self-denying ordinance in this respect?

The question of limiting the length of speeches has been considered on many occasions but no satisfactory remedy has so far been found. The solution rests with hon. Members themselves and any voluntary arrangement which would allow a greater number to give expression to their views on important Debates within the time allotted would undoubtedly be to the general advantage. My hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that the length and the number of sittings must depend primarily upon the progress of urgent and essentia' Government business, and I would remind him that the length of the sitting was recently extended.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent the Scottish hosiery industry was intended to be affected by the transfer of women hosiery workers to armaments production; how many such workers were intended to be transferred; and whether, in making the transfer, regard will be given to the experience of munitions work gained by many of the older of these workers in munitions work during the last war?

The question of how best to secure an orderly release of workers is now being actively considered, but I am not at present in a position to say how many workers will be required to be released from the Scottish hosiery industry. In arranging transfer, regard will certainly be paid to any special experience of armament production among older workers.

asked the Lord President of the Council how much money is allocated to industrial research in Scotland; whether such allocation is made by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research or by the Scottish Office; and for what particular research such allocation is made?

The Government interest in industrial research in the United Kingdom, including Scotland, is the responsibility of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. During the year 1939– 40, £ 29,292 were spent from the Vote of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on industrial research in Scotland. This sum was allocated to the following researches:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the Scottish Office has responsibility, financial or otherwise, for the appointment of the Honourable Robert Bruce, who has been announced as an investigator into the possibilities of light industries being established in Scotland after the war?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply of 30th January on this subject. It will be seen that the investigation in question relates solely to the Highlands. The Scottish Development Council, on whose behalf the investigation is being made, are solely responsible for the arrangements and for meeting any costs involved, but I am in the fullest sympathy with the object of the inquiry and the Department concerned will render it all possible cooperation and assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, owing to the damage done to crops, poison is being offered by the Government at a reduced rate to Scottish farmers for the destruction of rabbits; and whether he is prepared to recommend the relaxation of the laws against poaching, and thereby enable rabbits to be snared and sold for food?

Under the Defence Regulations extended rights have been given to occupiers to kill and take rabbits and ample powers have been delegated to Agricultural Executive Committees to enable them to require the destruction of rabbits by legal means. I would suggest that any skilled person who is willing to offer his services for rabbit killing should communicate with the local Agricultural Executive Committee. In order to ensure however that there should be sufficient reduction of the rabbit pest I have arranged to continue this year the scheme to supply farmers with gas powder at reduced rates.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that, owing to the calling up of knackers, it is impossible to obtain a sufficient number of expert men to slaughter animals, with the result that horse-flesh is scarce and being wasted, while owners of animals, which would otherwise have been usefully slaughtered, are merely burying the carcases; and whether, in view of the importance of not wasting material, he will consider allowing a reasonable number of these men to be retained in civil life?

There are already arrangements under which the deferment of individuals can be considered at the request of any of the Government Departments concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that persons have refused to attend for medical examination after proper registration for military service; and can he state the policy of His Majesty's Government in such cases?

Proceedings are taken when appropriate in order to secure attendance before a medical board. Some difficulty has arisen in certain cases where men have refused to submit to a proper medical examination and I am considering whether the law needs strengthening in this connection.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has any information as to whether letters from British prisoners of war are being held up at Cologne; and what steps are being taken to expedite despatch of these letters?

I have no evidence that letters from British prisoners of war are being held up at Cologne. As was recently foreshadowed, arrangements have been made to bring this correspondence by air from Lisbon to the United Kingdom, thereby reducing considerably the time taken to reach this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that in "Growmore" leaflet No. 41, published by his Department, the promise is made to farmers who sold their corn at an early date that that corn would be taken into account when assessing the quantity of their future ration of feeding stuffs; that this condition is not being fulfilled; and will he take steps to fulfil it?

Farmers who have sold their own grain, or have used it, or reserved it for use as seed on their own farms, before the rationing scheme was introduced on 1st February have such quantities taken into account in calculating the quantities of rationed feeding stuffs that they shall be allowed to purchase during the currency of the rationing period. Any such sales are deducted from any surplus, that is, the quantities in excess of his requirements that the farmer produces, but they cannot be used to establish a credit. Any farmer, however, who has sold or used for seed so large a proportion of his grain that he has insufficient supplies remaining to make up, with the purchased supplies allowed to him, the requirements of his livestock, may obtain on application to his County War Agricultural Executive Committee, an additional issue to make up the difference.

asked the Minister of Transport the income and expenditure, including net revenue, for the four railway companies and the London Passenger Transport Board for the year 1940 or, if he is not able now to do so, when the information will be available?

Estimates of the pooled revenue receipts and expenses and resultant net revenue of the Controlled Undertakings for the year 1940 will be published to-morrow.